(A/N i'm sorry this chappy seems so jumpy but there was alot i had to add into it and guess what YAY!! i finaly updated YAY!!!)

Branwen's violet eyes rushed open, the light from a familiar chandelier in her room forced them closed again, and she sat up with a groan her entire body protesting. "Here," a male voice said handing her a small cup of water, she sipped it slowly the cool liquid feeling good against her scratchy throaght.

"What… what happened?" she asked her voice hoarse.

"You passed out my lady, I was instructed to bring you here until you awoke," the voice said again, Prue looked up.

"My lady, come on Gerallt since when do you call me that?" she asked her eyes meeting the dark grey eyes of one of her best friends.

"I'm your chosen protector," he said simply holding a hand to help her groaning body from the bed. Many said that two people, male and female could not be close friends but Gerallt and Branwen had proven that wrong. They where the same age and grew up together as Gerallt's mother was the Queen's personal maid, Anwen had taken an instant liking to the young boy and brought him up much as she had her own daughter. Her own influence had prompted him to join the Academy of Protectors when he came of age. The academy was where young promising students went to become the guardians for the royal family, students began when they turned ten and worked hard at strength training, endurance, and weapons over fifty Elvin children entered every year, on average two graduated.

"Gerallt, where friends… can't that forgo titles it did before," she looked at him pleadingly and despite his training he found himself nodding.

"I suppose we'll have too as I'm going to Hogwarts with you, they've decided to call me Garry, Garry Smith," he smiled sitting beside her on the bed, "Now" he ran a finger through her hair, "I know it's a tough thing to go through but you have to change there expecting you."

Gerallt left the room and his princess to her own devices; from personal experience he knew this could be dangerous. Lurking behind her responsible façade was a trickster; he could recall with perfect clarity when she had used her Telekinesis to drop the breeches of a burley elf who decided he could get close to her through force, his… less then impressive appearance forced him to leave the village later due to embarrassment. As a green blooded Elvin son he could very easily appreciate his friends… attributes but they had together realized that nothing could ever come of it, Branwen had joked that they 'Liked each other too much to date'.

"Time to face the firing squad," she smoothed her light purple dress and double checked her pony tail while they made there way down the hall.


Hermione's quiet and shy nature quickly found her shoved to the side of the crowd when the princess returned. Hermione watched carefully for any signs of hostility when she pulled Harry aside to speak to him about training.

"It would appear we both watch the same thing," a soft male voice spoke beside her, with barely a warning her wand was on its way toward her face, he deflected it easily knocking it to the left. A flick of her wrist discharged her blade that crashed against his a clang in the stillness of the night. They both spun away and circled one another, Hermione found herself pushed onto the defensive by the strong chopping strokes of the stronger man. His height and bulk told her that her incredible endurance and quick reflexes would be her only saving grace. With a quick spin that he wasn't anticipating she released her other blade desperate for any other advantage, she moved in instead of his brute force her quick and tireless strikes soon had his chest heaving as hers was. She saw and opening and knowing it would leave her vulnerable she moved in anyway. She felt the cold press of steel against her throaght the same second her blade touched his.

"Good show," she pulled back finally recognizing him as the personal bodyguard who had carried off Prue when she fell after the ceremony.

"And you, I rarely find one who can match me and it is quite enjoyable to spar on the occasions when I do," he bowed lightly returning his long yet slim sword to its sheath.

"Do you have a name?" Hermione questioned sparing a glance to the pair off to the side who where still deep in conversation.

"Gerallt, though Garry would be more appropriate I assume," at her questioning glance he realized his spiteful tone, "The name I'm to use at Hogwarts."

"You sound less then trilled to be going," she commented leaning against a knotted tree the position affording her a view of the pair who seemed to be arguing now and her companion.

"More like apprehensive, I've never left the village and had yet to decide if I wanted to when I was assigned. Every Elvin child has the opportunity to experience life as a mortal, more commonly a non magical one, which is how the myths got started about us. As a servant to the Royal Family it would have more repercussions if I where to leave possibly another reason why I was chosen for this assignment."

"You're still considered a child?"

"You forget, mortal years mean very little to us, Anwen holds five century's where as I have barely two decades, I am three years older then Branwen but that means nothing, a year for us is like a week to you as strange as it may seem."

"Not strange just… new," Hermione answered honestly, she could sense some anger in his voice at the reference to being a child and the classification of years, his speech and demeanor where that of an older man though she could sense in him a spark of rebellion.

"New, does that mean good or bad?" he questioned for some reason needing to find some sort of… knowledge of this girl, a feeling he liked but had yet to give an actual name too.

"I'll let you know when I find out," she patted his hand and moved off to follow Harry who had broken from Prue obviously in anger. Gerallt moved slowly toward Branwen who was looking at the large oak in the clearing like she wished to set it ablaze. Firsthand experience with his friend's power told him under no uncertain terms that she easily could, his hand on her shoulder revealed her eyes glowing completely purple a new experience that forced him back a step.

"I'm sorry," she closed her eyes and when she opened them again the white and black of her eyes had returned.

"Wanna tell me what that was?" he questioned raising an eyebrow.

"Just testing my limits, Dumbledore says with my combination of Wiccan magic and ours I could be more powerful then there expecting," a jerk of her head told the observant man she meant her sisters who stood in a small circle obviously not letting anyone else in.

"Have you talked to them?" he asked cocking his head to the side, she turned from him and he jerked his head in order to retain eye contact.

"Why, it's pretty obvious they don't want to talk to me," she gestured toward them, he reached up and placed a calming hand on her shoulder pushing a wayward lock of raven hair behind her ear affectionately.

"So force them to, send them a formal invitation to go riding tomorrow, invite that Potter fellow, you two seemed quite close," he raised an eyebrow again what some considered his trademark motion.

"The first I'll do the second… lets simply say I'm less then inclined," she tossed her head and walked to a servant speaking quickly and softly to him. He nodded once, bowed, then went to the circle of girls and spoke to them, Gerallt gave a sigh before running to catch up with the princess who had begun the meet and greet cycle of the anointment.


Harry fell onto his bed with his arm flung over his eyes in frustration. He had fought with Prue about his training and he was impressed by her quick answers, it had been a while since he had been challenged like that.

"Thinking deep thoughts?" Hermione's voice questioned from the door, he lifted his arm for a second to see her leaning against the side of the open doorjamb before flopping back down onto the bed.

"Ugh," was his only response; she chuckled lightly and came over to the bed sitting cross-legged on the far side.

"Not too sure what that means sorry."

"It means I despise royalty, always right about everything so smart," he rolled his eyes even though he knew she couldn't see it.

"She is pretty smart Harry," she smacked the inside of his leg hard, "Budge up." He glowered at her but did as requested, she lay next to him with her hands supporting the back of her head, and she flicked her wand at the door and closed it. "Know any newly invented silencing spells?" Harry flicked his wand at the door and his favorite mix silencing and locking charm quickly took effect. "I was talking to Gerallt her bodyguard and she's really quite accomplished, archery, horseback riding… she's a real ally."

"I know that's what the Green Lady said but I'm just not convinced that she's not pompous, she said I have a friend in you and an enemy in Ginny which I don't even want to try to figure out right now."

"Relax Harry; all you're doing is working yourself into a tizzy. At the very least you should try to be friends with her," Hermione leaned up against the footboard while Harry propped himself up on the headboard tossing Hermione a pillow knowing how the intricate carvings could hurt one's back.

"Did you just say tizzy?" Harry questioned smirking lightly.

"Shut up," she grinned, "Time difference comes through."

"You really said tizzy," Harry doubled over in laughter he was cut out of it by a pillow hitting him in the head, he looked up to see Hermione whistling and looking anywhere but him the conspicuous absence of a pillow spurring him into action.


"Ladies," Prue stood at the door to her sister's room her purple eyes darker with the preparation to release her magic at any moment. The three girls stopped getting ready for bed and turned to her slightly surprised to see her.

"I know the timing is odd but I would like to extend an invitation to go riding through our forests, perhaps a picnic?" she questioned her hands behind her back while Gerallt laughed at her formal tone.

"When?" the youngest, Paige if she remembered correctly.

"The middle bell… I do believe that would be ten o'clock your time," she looked over to Gerallt who nodded.

"Alright," Piper nodded slowly obviously realizing someone was behind the door.

"Very well, I shall meet you in the front hall at the middle bell, goodnight," she inclined her head slightly and left the room to be faced with Gerallt's silent laughter she smacked him upside the head before sweeping into her room closing the door behind him. Still cackling Gerallt released some of his magic softening the uncomfortable stone floor, his bed for the night. He chose instead of going straight to sleep knowing with Prue's sleeping habits she would be lucky to awake in time for her riding appointment he chose to simply sit. The soft fall of footsteps a few moments earlier brought his sword slowly from the sheath; he prepared himself to magically inform Branwen if this was an attempt on her life. The steps came closer and Gerallt was surprised to find Hermione turning the corner, she raised an eyebrow at his fighting stance and unsheathed sword and gave a small chuckle.

"I apologize," he bowed his head, "I had heard the footsteps and as you well know my princess safety comes first."

"Don't be sorry, can't say I never did the same… so where's your room?" she asked joining him beside the door.

"You're standing on it, my place is here," he nodded to the floor.

"You sleep in a cold hard stone floor?" Hermione questioned. At first she had thought his job was an honorable one but now she found herself questioning his sanity.

"Magic makes it soft and warm, come, sit," he pulled her down onto the spot he had set up for himself and she looked up in surprise.

"Wow, this is more comfortable then my bed," she smiled up at him and he grinned back, taking that as an invitation she settled with her back to the door.

"So… you're coming to Hogwarts how will you sleep outside her door?"

"Green Lady willing the Queen will speak to your Professor in the morning about those arrangements," he said, after a few moments absent a response he looked down at her and found her asleep. With a grin he hunkered down after conjuring a blanket and fell himself into the world of nothingness.


October 25 1982

Dear Stranger

I think I have just realized the true power in Hermione. Today when we where on a mission we found it was a trap, one of the guards knocked Sirius unconsous she stared down at him then looked up at the guard who had done it and her eyes turned the most mythical shade of white I have ever seen in my life. Then she seemed to harness nature itself into her hand in the form of lightning, she screamed. Screamed like Remus that mix between a wolf and human, a truly terrifying sound and charged him. I was terrified of her in that moment and true fear is hard to find in me. She turned to me after that and spoke, "Your mate is to bear the son of Gryffindor while those he will befriend will take after Helga, your future lies in your hands and the future of the world lies in his."

She passed out after that but I don't know what it means, I'll have to do gasp research to see what she meant about the Gryffindor and Helga part… based on the Gryffindor thing I assume when she said Helga she meant Hufflpuff but I dare not make assumptions… until we meet again.

James

Ahh cliffhangers, i love em.

Next time on Not of This Time:

Harry and Prue fight yet again, Prue get's to know her sisters and there's another mysterious letter from James to who knows?